HOLY SATURDAY

God is not in time. As C.S. Lewis wrote in his book Mere Christianity, “God is outside and above the Time-line. In that case, what we call ‘tomorrow’ is visible to Him in just the same way as what we call ‘today.’ All the days are ‘Now’ for Him. He does not remember you doing things yesterday; He simply sees you doing them, because, though you have lost yesterday, He has not. He does not ‘foresee’ you doing things tomorrow; He simply sees you doing them: because, though tomorrow is not yet there for you, it is for Him.” (pg. 170)

So because God had no beginning and has no end - when he declares with His infallible voice, “IT IS FINISHED” – then mortal man better listen!

Two particular times He said it - two realities ushered in into the existence of mankind - and both times were on Fridays.

Throughout Biblical history – the days of the week were consistently referred to using ordinal numbers – first, second, third, fourth, etc. And so in Genesis 1:31 and Genesis 2:1, we read, "Then God saw everything that He had made and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished."

Also we read in John 19:30, "So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit." On Good Friday, the sixth day, the body of Christ was taken down from the cross and buried, on the seventh-day Sabbath His body remained in the tomb. (see verse 31)

Two days. Two eternal declarations.

On the sixth day of creation week, God declared with a loud voice, “IT IS FINISHED” – and ushered mankind and creation into the seventh-day Sabbath rest – a sanctuary of time for Adam and Eve to rest from their labors and worship their Creator God.

On the sixth day of Semana Santa, or Holy Week, Christ, Immanuel, God with Us, the Word made flesh, declared with a loud cry, ‘IT IS FINISHED” – and ushered mankind and creation into the seventh-day Sabbath rest – a symbol of redemptive rest for by grace you have been saved through faith, not of works – a sanctuary of time for the redeemed to rest from their labors and worship their Creator God.

TWO DAYS – a call to worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.

Today is Holy Saturday. A high biblical day of worship - And very timely appropriate to remember both God’s creative and redemptive work.

THE MARTIAN MARATHON

On April 5th, 2009.... the earth stood still.



The face-off was inevitable.



It won a first-one-to-blink-losses game, but I challenged it to a 26.2 miler of pounding pavement... and that was a different story.



Night and day compared to the Chicago Marathon, which had over 33,000 runners. I found myself running solo several times, but came in at 101 out of 450.



Ideal running day. 40s. Blue sky.



I crossed the finish line in 3:37:07! A personal record! In fact, I knocked off 21 minutes off my first marathon run in Chicago last year which was 3:58:21.

STAY TUNED FOR A NEW POST!

"Let it Snow!"

Correspondence Between Two Distinct (well, kinda) Lands

On November 25th, Sir Henry Livingston wrote to Martinology the following request: "Excuse me, kind sirs, I am penning this letter from Antarctica, the land of endless winter, where the flakes of snow never cease. My ancestors, the pilgrims, arrived on your lands with tales of deep yellow and red autumn leaves, fields of pumpkins, and corn stalks dotting the landscape, wild turkeys skipping across roads and fields during this season of yours. Would you be kind enough to post glimpses of the delightful descriptions that my ancestors left behind to us of your so-called Thanksgiving holiday! Thank you, so very much!"

On November 25th, Martinology wrote to Sir Henry Livingston the following sentence: "Here you go buddy, we're over here dreaming of a white Thanksgiving. How's the skiing in Antarctica? Not bad over here. Some friends gave us a broken snow-blower yesterday that we can keep if we get it running. Last night we slid into a ditch, wrecker pulled us out, and now the car is parked just fine in our garage. Baby Elijah is going great, touched snow yesterday for the first time and cried. He cried, ok? HE CRIED! And I'm cr...(sniff) WHY do we have to get snow blizzards in NOVEMBER! WHY?! Well, enjoy the pictures of our front and back yards. Have a Merry Thanksgiving."

The Faces of A Moment

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELIJAH, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! - 10.28.08

Game plan:
Heidi = Food A+
Christian = Game A+
Melanie = Decoration A+
....mission accomplished!







I was there in an instant, the softest bear I've ever taken down. No bear is going to mess around with my boy. Ok, ok....Elijah took him down himself. (Great gift from grandma and grandpa Towar!)



Simply called, "The Fishing Game," it was a hit as they threw their line over the side of the "boat" and caught bags filled with goodies! (Goodies provided by Melanie!)





First one to get a good handle on the cake!







Toys, toys, and more toys, very little clothing, his kind of birthday party!

Special Visit from Tennessee

Christian's parents had an opportunity to spent a weekend with us in Cadillac, MI!


Great smile! This made my mom's day when she herself took this picture and made she we all knew she did!


Elijah with Lelo!


Sabbath afternoon outdoors! (Longest day of the week for Elijah! It shows!)





Cool walk in the Martin Park with our Fall Boy.


A rest on Abuela's shoulder.... nothing quite like it.

Wait 'til you hear my Fish Story....

The following pictures are approved by the FAMA as being genuine and authentic. Notation #3456835

One Long Victory Lap

With my final meal at the Pasta Bowl on Saturday night, I went to bed with the alarm set for 4:45 a.m. The long awaited Chicago Marathon would begin with the rising of sun.



Surrounded by flashes and personal questions, I had a press conference with my fan club of 6. I consumed my last Power Gel before the gun and quickly joined 33,033 other runners.





Pace. Pace. Pace. I ran with the 9 minute mile pace I trained with and despite temperatures rising into the 80s, the race did not suffer the same heat-related problems it did a year ago.







After turning onto Columbus Dr. for the final stretch and seeing the FINISH banner, my watch read 3:56:01. My goal of under-4 was very attainable! With legs drained and toes numb (literally), I hit the wall at 25 miles, but my brain was determined to finish.



45,000 registered - 33,033 started - 31,401 finished and I was officially 6061 overall with a finish time of 3:58:21!



Very few things in life beat ice bags on sore legs and a cool mist sprayed through huge fans from fire trucks.



A finishers medal for a marathon now hangs on my medal tree (more on that later). All these things only point forward to the imperishable reward that will be given to those who will love His appearing on the last day!

Thanks for your prayers! They were answered. Now I'm just searching for my next victim.... another 26.2 mile route.

Stay Tuned For More Details!

Motivation for the 31st Bank of America Chicago Marathon

October is when it all happens and it's also a time to remember. I'm dedicating this run to four.

One to Elijah. He was born in October a year ago. On October 28th he'll be one year old. From his nods, waves, to closed-eye grins, he is a great joy. I love him so much and I'm so thankful to God for my beloved boy.

One to Heidi. She survived some challenging times in October a year ago. On October 26th, a drunk driver hit her from the back and she ended up in the hospital. The very next day she began contractions and was strong and brave to make it through hours of pain. She was courageous as it was decided that it would be best if she had a C-section. She did and did incredibly well. I love Heidi so much. She is a most excellent mother and wife.

One to my mom. On October of 2003, God saved her life and she survived ovarian cancer. She was strong and brave to face uncertainty and various treatments. It was very difficult, but yet she kept her eyes on Jesus and always trusted in Him. It is a miracle that she is alive. I love her very much and she is a most excellent mom.

One to God. On October 14th, 2003, He saved my life from a terrible car accident. I was removed with jaws of life and was unconscious for 5 hours. We had impacted together intersecting at 60 miles per hour. 5 months later I was just as good if not better than the day before the accident. The car was left a bundle of twisted metal. I love God so much. He is so mercifully and always eager to manifest His love to me.

Motivation? Yes. I love all four very much and this run is for them.

Enter Marathon

The zone has been entered. The head has been shaved. The games have begun.



Schedule of Games ~ Half-marathon race: 13.1 miles in Lansing, MI - 9.28.08 Marathon race: 26.2 miles in Chicago, IL - 10.12.08







In both the picture above and the one below, Christian Martin, # 580, can be spotted. Hint: Shaved head with shades, white top with blue stripes.





Three words are the key to a successful run: pace, pace, pace - I began on a 8 mile pace and completed averaging a 7:35 pace.



The following pictures are classic. I strongly ran past James McNelly, #936, at an approximate distance of 20 yards from the finish line. The only thing between me and the finish line was cool air.



At approximately 2.3 feet from the finish line, I felt a wave of warm air as the guy plunged forward out of nowhere....what a guy. Later came to find out that my initial 8 minute pace at the beginning allowed him to advance quite a bit, only to have me catch him and actually pass him at the 13.098 mile marker, but see him run across a spilt second ahead.







Moral of the story: Never underestimate the heavier runner at 2.3 feet from the finish line.



A moment of reflection.



Posing with Fan Club.







Final stats: Christian Martin - Chip time: 1:39:26 Overall: I was #136 of 1,216 finishers. Finish in age group: I was #20 of 76





Overall it was a great run. There were dirt trails, paved trails, along a river, through the woods, parks, downtown, under a highway, over a bridge - always something different, never expected. I felt good about my initial pace that allowed me to pass runners once I got to mile 7, where I picked it up a notch. It was mentally stimulating to zig-zag past runners, to feel my steady heartbeat and calm breathing next to some loud gasps for air. In other words, I had good pace control. All finishers won a "finisher's medal," a great addition to my 5Ks and 1 10K!

"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain." - Paul

Next stop: Chicago

Mr. I-Can't-See-You Wiggly

Blueberry Daze

The Leap of Faith

There comes a time when one has to face fear and call it by its right name. One has to make a declaration that nothing will stop him, advance one step at a time, and to be determined to conquer while taking deep breathes. The duty that you are called to perform is that you must face the unknown and leap out into space with all the strength one can muster. There is no time to doubt secure locks, harness buckles, or rope quality. It's all about faith for just within two and a half arm's length is a tennis ball hanging on a rope which one must aggressively touch. The mission is successully accomplished. Little does one realize that in a matter of seconds, fear is replaced with relief. Relief leads to rest. Rest leads to peace. Peace leads to a great meal at supper time after doing some crazy stuff. It was fun, I think I'll do it again.

The Martin Family

Founders of Martinology



Picture taken by Daniel Mendez

Old Feet

"Of all the steps these old feet have taken, may those that follow find footprints that lead down the path of life." - C.R.Martin

Pure Delight

Latest Sightings of Elijah "Buddy Boy" Martin

7th Year Wedding Anniversary

We, the founders of Martinology, celebrated our 7th year anniversary on May 27th. It is true that we've had a pretty impressive streak going when it comes to the exotic places where we've travelled to celebrate.
In review....
1st year 2002: Nairobi, Kenya
2nd year 2003: Argentina and Brazil
3rd 2004: Toronto, Canada
4th 2005: Mauritus, Madagascar, and Dubai
5th: New York City
6th: Bermuda
..... so, where did we go for our 7th?!



Glen Arbor, Michigan, United States of America, North America





So why did we just swing over there out of all places, you may ask? And where in the world is it?



It's a little picturesque town on the western of coast of the state right on Lake Michigan.



And we went there just because....









At least we had some privacy for our anniversary kiss!

It's All About Black & White

Exceptional bonus:

DEDICATED TO YOU LORD

Baby Elijah was dedicated to God on April 12, 2008 in the Cadillac Seventh-day Adventist Church. He was calm, as each grandpa shared a few thoughts. This was the first service with both of our parents since the day we got married. Our sisters, Melanie and Melissa, were there too.



Our boy was dedicated to God ~ a symbol of absolute surrender as parents to whatever God wants to call our boy. It's also following in the example of Mary and Joseph as they took Jesus to the temple to be dedicated to His heavenly Father.





During the church service, our boy was already searching the Scriptures ~ might he be a child preacher in the making?!



At the end of the day, it was all fun and games.... another day with daddy and mommy!

STAY TUNED!

hello everybabody, papi and mami come soon...it's ok? we be wight bak!

You Gotta Love It

When a guest speaker's sermon and pastor's afternoon training session were just meant for each other. John Baxter from AFM came and preached.... and I had been doing the training seminar all along. After putting up the letters and taking a step back for a final look....we just started cracking up.

BREAKING NEWS

Martinology declares bankrupt.

(Due to outstanding debt, pictures are not available.)









......April Fool's :)

Newest Photos of Martin Family

The Inspiration of a Moment

Did you hear about the running shoe that the Apple branch in the Middle East came up with?



Yeah, it's called the iRan.

Who's Your Daddy?

It was just the two of us today for about 4.5 hours.



And we had another "FIRST": Daddy gave Buddy Boy, which is what I've been calling him the most, his first meal in a bottle. Of course, Mommy was at work, but she made all the necessary arrangements!



As always, he was just as calm as can be....well, one time I did the up-and-down-the-stairs-trick and, of course, he feel asleep until Mommy got home.



....you know something, we are so carefully attentive to his every need, ready to do whatever it takes to comfort him.... and how is it with the Creator of heaven and earth who calls Himself, my "Father,"....not any different.

In fact, the Bible says, "....how much more!"

So, who's your Daddy?

Jingle Bells in February

On February 14th, I surprised Heidi with a one-horse open sleigh ride as snow just kept on gently falling.



Talk about a smooth-ride, no bumps or getting stuck.... these draft horses didn't show any sign of slowing down.



The snow got deep at times, almost coming into the sleigh, but it made it all the more fun.



The best part was snuggling together and staying warm under these huge thick blankets....



The bells.... the kind you shake when singing "Jingle Bells"... those. It was pretty sweet to hear the bells as the horse trodded through the deep snow. At times we'd go under these huge ever-greens and it was like going through a tunnel....





....and Baby Elijah you might ask?



The Sluiter Family from our Cadillac Church was more than willing to volunteer to baby-sit our boy. Their daughter, Lyric, was born on the same day as Elijah, Oct. 28. He survived with no problems at all, considering that it was the first time that we ever left him with someone to go somewhere alone together.... we all had fun!

Martinology's Methodology for Stopology of Cryology

There comes a time when the reading of "101 Ways to Make a Baby Stop Crying" no longer provides the solution. It is then that the daddy might have to take matters into his own hands....literally.



The answer? I've simply called it, "The Stairs."



I begin to descend and ascend at a pace of 42 steps per minute.



The rhythmic act of descending and ascending creates a profound drowsiness....



....that immediately puts him to sleep.



And after getting his batteries recharged, he is Mr. Smile and a great baby to hang out with.

3 Black and Whites and 1 Color

Carrying Your Cross

We complain about the cross we bear but don't realize it is preparing us for the dip in the road that God can see and we cannot.

Here's a little poem that I found with the pictures....

Whatever your cross, whatever your pain;
there will always be sunshine after the rain.

Perhaps you may stumble, perhaps even fall;
but God's always ready to answer your call.

He knows every heartache, sees every tear;
a word from His lips can calm every fear.

Your sorrows may linger, throughout the night;
But suddenly vanish, dawn's early light.

The Savior is waiting, somewhere above;
to give you His grace, and send you His love.

Guess WHO we're writing about AGAIN?

We move like bees and sting like butterflies....we are the greatest!


Want a smile? Got one for you.....


My mommy loves me....


Chillin' with dad....


Strong as a magnet....


Our little bundle of joy....

Pictures of the Little Guy

The Martin Family: Christmas 2007



The Towar Family: Christmas 2007

A Most Wonderful Christmas Gift

This Christmas 2007, we celebrate our first holiday season with our little guy, Baby Elijah. Every once in a while, he'll surprise us with one of his adorable smiles....one of his special gifts to us!



He definetly a little one right now, but we can see how he is growing and growing every day.



Weekly birthday photo session....one way to keep track of how quickly he is growing!



"Huh, excuse me, papi, over here, but huh, how about giving me a little break?"



"The March of the Turtles" - Every year, thousands of turtles make an astonishing journey. They are the turtles. They walk, marching day and night in single file 70 miles into the darkest, driest continent, known as Mt. Elijah.

A Natural Slam-Dunka' ? Time will Tell

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

My Prayer

Lord, I want to be just like You
'Cause he wants to be just like me



I want to be a holy example
For his inncent eyes to see



Help me be a living Bible, Lord
That my little boy can read



I want to be just like You
'Cause he wants to be like me.

Elijah Expressions!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELIJAH! 1 Week old

Elijah Christian Martin: A Journey of Enduring Love

Behold He Comes!!!

Elijah Christian Martin, the heir of the Martinology Franchise, was born on October 28, 2007 at 10:22 AM to the humbly proud parents, Christian and Heidi Martin. His length measured at 20 1/2 inches, head at 14 1/2, and chest 12 3/4. Praise our Creator God!

(Due to the little sleep and tremendous exhaustion, Martinology will continue this blog with numerous other pictures and comments in the extreme near future! Thanks for your understanding!)

Another October 22 Comes and Goes!

Today in your Martinology class, you will learn the definition of "overdue." |ˌōvərˈd(y)oō| adjective : not yet having arrived, happened, or been done, though after the expected time.

Well, here's Exhibit A: Heidi! Our expected time was October 11, but we continue to patiently wait for the little guy with great anticipation!



Like every parent has told us, "They grow fast!" We haven't even seen him yet.... they tell us he's about 7 1/2 lbs. Tomorrow he'll probably be 8.



Dr. LeBaron. Nice and is a doctor. Rare combination.



Non-Stress Test. For the baby, not for us.



Result: He's doing great.





We're doing great.



Meanwhile, the calls will continue to come: "Is he born yet!?" "What happened yesterday!?" My favorite: "You didn't tell me the baby was born!"



In the meantime, I'll just keep on reading. I can use all the time I can!

Congratulations Christian & Heidi - From the Alpena Church Family

Our church family in Alpena, our previous church district, had to have us return for, of course, another baby shower.





There are times when competition is a necessity; when speed and ease are determined by the carefully calculated removal of onesies and precise placement of diapers. Only one can complete the task first....only one can do it rapidly without visual elements.



Winner: The daddy





A daddy who has accepted the mission. Fully equipped and fearlessly prepared. Bring on the baby during emergencies. Mommy, what's so funny?

Running Across the Third Longest Bridge in the World

Mission: To run non-stop across the approximately 5-mile long Mackinaw Bridge, Michigan





Result: Accomplished in 34 minutes and 11 seconds



Official Photographer of the Event: Heidi!





Governor Jennifer Granholm was among those who came to witness Christian Martin's accomplishment.







Christian's favorite and #1 Fan: His beloved wife, Heidi!

Countdown: 5 weeks (Due: October 11!)

Wild At Heart Retreat - August 6th and 7th

"Adventure, with all its requisite danger and wildness, is a deeply spiritual longing written into the soul of man. The masculine heart needs a place where nothing is prefabricated, modular, nonfat, zip lock, franchised, on-line, microwavable. Where there are no deadlines, cell phones, or committe meetings. Where there is room for the soul."
- John Eldredge



"The deepest desire of our hearts is for union with God. God created us for union with himself. This is the original purpose of our lives."
- Brennan Manning



"The spiritual life cannot be made suburban. It is always frontier, and we who live in it must accept and even rejoice that it remains untamed."
- Howard Macey





"The heart of a man is like deep water..." - Proverbs 20:5 NKJV



"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
- Gil Bailie



"Adventure requires something of us, puts us to the test. Though we may fear the test, at the same time we yearn to be tested, to discover that we have what it takes. There is something wild in the heart of every man." - John Eldredge





Day 1 = 12+miles on Manistee River Trail, river swimming
Night 1 = One-man tent, no poles, pocket-knife cut rods for support, unmarked territory, animal cries, pitch blackness
Day 2 = 12+miles on North Country Trail, creek drinking

"Safe? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good."
- C.S. Lewis

Martinology Comes Forth with the Fourth

Martinology is finally back! After hours of sleepless nights and numerous anxious moments (....close enough), we are finally back on board. Due to our new location in Cadillac, MI, dial-up was not doing it....until we finally got connected with high-speed. Of course, a lot has happened since we last shared. For one, we're expecting a baby in October, Heidi is pregnant, and we now live in Cadillac, MI. Christian's mom and dad came to visit for the 4th of July.....so here are a few images:



ABOVE: We had a drive-way fireworks grand-finale action of our own on the fourth, (Christian would like to say that they were going off right at his shorts, but they are approximately 13 yards away....) Here are some other pictures:

Christian and his dad, Carlos, did a major makeover of the backyard (dad gets most of the credit!) and we later enjoyed an outdoor picnic in our "new park."









Heidi showing a little something in the belly area!



Sleeping Bear Dunes:
















There's very few things that beat eating a pizza half Greek and half Thailand Coconut Curry, talking Spanish, and proudly wearing Brazilian colors in the United State's independance day, while watching fireworks.....

FACES OF DURIAN

There's comes a time in the life of a young child when character must be challenged and courage enforced....that's when durian comes in. It had a presence and an odor at the Alpena Elementary School. Expressions are original, they have not been changed.